Kathryn Hendley, Associate Dean and Professor of Law and Political Science, discusses her work. How do Russians respond when a dispute arises? The media would have us believe that few use law to resolve disputes. Instead, common wisdom suggests that most either do nothing or resort to various self-help remedies (including the mafia). Yet court statistics show that litigation is becoming more common in Russia. In an effort to better understand how Russians respond to disputes, Hendley conducted a series of focus groups and follow-up interviews in Moscow and Saratov during the summer of 2007. In this talk, she will present some preliminary reflections on that research.